Even though Bulgaria is mainly visited for its seaside, its western part is filled with high mountains. The most important is undoubtedly the Rila mountain range with the highest mountain in Bulgaria and the Balkans in general, which is Musala at 2,925 metres.

Musala can be climbed without climbing equipment on a marked trail from the village of Bistrica, which is about 1 km from the tourist town of Borovets, or you can take a cable car up a significant part of the mountain.

Find accommodation in the Rila Mountains

If you don't have a rental car, take the bus from Sofia South Bus Station (not Central!) to the town of Samokov, where you change to a minibus to Borovets. Both routes run roughly once every half hour and the total journey takes just over 2 hours.

The most beautiful place in the Rila Mountains, however, is undoubtedly the area of the Seven Rila Lakes or also the Seven Silver Pearls of Rila.

The group of seven glacial lakes lies at an altitude of 2,000 to 2,500 metres. The access road leads from the parking lot from the road about 12 km from the town of Sapareva Banya. You can also use the chairlift that takes you to the lowest of the lakes, the price for a return ticket is 18 bgn.

From Sofia, the Rila Shuttle tourist bus runs directly to the cable car for the price of 25 eur.